Solstice
by Rynozerus
Summary: Set after SOTET. Albel is not enjoying his time posted in the snowy Airyglyph while a mysterious mercenary stroles into town looking for authority - to kill or for work? How is Albel's fate strangely intertwined with the mercenary's? Will be Re-Written
1. Snow Flakes

**Solstice**

**Snowflakes**

The city of Airyglyph lay dormant in its snowy prison. The castle walls glittered with icicles. The stained glass windows reflected shades of blue and red across the snow laid against their sills. All seemed quite in the midnight air that bit and choked those that ventured out into its harsh embrace. There was no one on the streets; they were all neatly inside their stone homes with their stone fires and their cold expressions. Albel looked over the city from the Castle's turret.

_Maggots… They're so boring…. The night hosts the best monsters… _He thought to himself. How many months had it been since he'd returned to Elicoor II? Eight…? Nine…? Ten? He forgot how many, in Airyglyph it always snowed, always winter to him. Even in summer the air was still cold and the wind was still choking. Not like in Aquaria… _Maggots…_ The feuds had long since ceased with Aquaria, yet many of Airyglyph still harboured anger for their once enemies.

Albel longed to return to Kirlsa… to the training facility, his home. As captain of the Black Brigade he was ordered to remain in Airyglyph for strategy meetings with a rival country far to the south yet no meeting had occurred in the three weeks he had been stationed at the castle, reports from the facility informed him that his men were growing restless without their rigorous training, something at which they all complained about, but still missed after not actually having it. _Worms…_

Nothing interesting seemed to happen since Fayt and co. had left. Only Nel, Adray, and Roger had actually returned to Elicoor II and of course he could not go and visit them because of his duties…. He doubted that they even wanted to see them… Of course he could always use his communicator…. But that seemed too much like hard work to go to his chambers, unlock his chest, take out the communicator, locate their communicator and try and speak to them, and of course, there was always a chance that they weren't there… Anyway, it was only supposed to be used in emergencies… but Albel had suspicions it was just for Maria to trace them, so she knew where they were…

Albel sighed. There really was no use contemplating the past… If they wanted him, they would most definitely contact him. They all probably considered him as stand offish any way so why should he even bother to disappoint their views? Albel rested his armoured arm on his katana hilt. He looked at his arm almost disgusted. He remembered how he had come to have that abomination put on him. It was because of him that his father had died. So much had changed from all those years ago…

Albel sniggered to himself and turned his back on the landscape. _How weak I am to dwell on things that cannot be changed… I have survived certain death so many times that I should have learnt that it is not the end…_ He looked over his shoulder once more and outstretched his hand, the snow flakes that landed on his hand disintegrated almost immediately. Something told him that he was about to experience something strange… but what he could not tell…

* * *


	2. The Calm Before

**Solstice**

**The Calm Before**

Dawn was breaking… but the people of Airyglyph had been up and about for what seemed hours. Kara knew this as she had been watching them carefully, cautiously and craftily; studying their every move. The majority of the people of Airyglyph were not anything special; they were bakers, merchants, smiths… No warriors except for the odd traveller in their cloaks.

The only potential threat was the guards… the three Airyglyphian factions; The Black Brigade, The Storm Brigade and the Dragon Brigade. Out of all of these it was only the Black Brigade that posed a real threat, they were the toughest of the factions in terms of fighting but in speed, the dragon brigade ruled but in numbers, it was the storm brigade.

Kara's cloak travelling robes covered a large percentage of her body, only an arm and a leg could be seen, other than her eyes, the muffler she wore covered her mouth and nose, protecting them from the harsh winds. Her deep green eyes glittered against her pale thin skin. The red muffler was like blood spun and woven into a lustrous silk against the dark midnight blue cotton of the long heavy looking cloak. She stepped out from the covers of the aqueducts. The raised hill was perfect for overseeing the city… but not as good as the castle.

Kara walked out into the city. Many people stopped and looked at her strange outfit...Maybe it was because they couldn't identify her or maybe it was because of the reputation the cloak carried. Kara strode confidently across the cobbles of the stony, grey street and ignored the passing comments and stares. People were whispering about her… 'Mercenary...'

Kara stopped outside a large homely looking building. She looked up to see an old rickety and rusty sign reading 'Inn'. Kara grinned. _Perfect… _she thought …the_ perfect place to attract some attention… _Kara pulled open the door and was met with the intense smells of alcohol, fire and bread. The room was plain looking, with people all around sat laughing, drinking and joking… until that was, Kara walked in through the doors. Silence fell when the patrons of the joint noticed her cloak.

One of the drunken men rose to his feet, clenching his tarnished tankard and stumbled over to Kara who had now closed the door. 'What's a… bloomin' Merce..nariry… dooin' in my… cit…ie?' he bellowed drunkenly. Kara said nothing and just stared at the man who was much taller and much stronger looking. His beard was stained with tobacco, food and mead. Kara's piercing green eyes with their thin line of eye makeup met the man's blotchy and puffy squint.

'Not speakin' eh?... tsk tsk…. I'm don't like rude people. Especially mercenaries…' said the man that had suddenly sobered up a little at the prospect of a fight. Then he suddenly noticed Kara's size compared to his.

'Short and skinny ain't ya?' said the man as he poked Kara's shoulder. Kara glanced quickly at his hand and then back at his gaze. The man had noticed her averted gaze and laughed. 'Annoyin' yer am I? Well I've never seen such a girlish shaped mercenary… Yoo mercenariries are stoooooopid. You want a real man… like me!' and with that the man attempted to push Kara into a table.

As the man reached forward, Kara had already unbuckled a belt on the side of the cloak, just above the slit, allowing her to turn the cloak into a cape. She pulled her arm out of the sleeve of the cloak and it no rested on something more sinister. Kara's hands came to lie on the hilt of a long sword. She drew it silently and at blinding speed. The man stopped in his tracks bewildered. His hand did not reach Kara as he was stopped by the threat of the blade under his chin. His beard was gone, sliced off by Kara's swift movements.

For a moment the man was terrified by the blade… an oddly shaped blade that had a split down the middle of it where an evil looking hook lay. In the next moment the man shook off his bewilderment and noticed Kara's body, now uncovered by the cloak. A tight fitting pair of shorts with long leggings and long boots up to the knees clung to her legs graciously in their dark colours and slight rough looking materials.

She had a bare waistline that revealed scars and a tattoo next to her bellybutton. On top she wore a long black coat, that was obviously leather, that had many buckles and belts. The coat was open to reveal a strange vest style shirt that was red and deep purple. The colours seemed to overlap and lock each other in place in a strange and complicated looking pattern.

The muffler and the hood of the cloak still remained in place, holding the cloak on her body. The man now looked at the blade and then to the scabbard of the blade. Around her belt Kara had many weapons, knives, daggers, shuriken, and kunai… a weapon for every occasion. A true mercenary she was.

The man laughed suddenly, making some people in the inn jump slightly. 'A woman mercenary! Come on love… put that nose picker down and let me show you some-' he started but was bitten into silence by a cold and rather commanding sound.

'Touch me… and I swear that there will be _nothing_ left of you… scum… I am an Elicoorian just like you… I am earning a living… I work hard… _you_ have no right to question me or I will kill you…' She growled. She leant a little closer to the man, pushing the cold blade closer to his throat. 'I want you to get me someone in authority in this city… tell them that Shatterheart's in town…'

The people around the man gasped. The man looked as though he had been kicked where it hurts most. 'Y-yes I will go to the castle…' he stammered.

* * *

Albel walked down the stone steps from the turret. Someone barged past him, almost knocking him over. 'Maggot… who do you think you are?' Albel snapped poisonously. The boy of about sixteen almost seemed to cower. 'Get out of my sight,' Albel growled as he turned to go to the throne room. There were people running about all over the place… something was up.

Albel grabbed the nearest servant by the collar and lifted him off the ground slightly. 'Sir Albel… sir!' the man cried.

'What is the commotion here? I'm intrigued…' Albel almost whispered sinisterly. 'The King has called for an emergency meeting s-sir, there are reports of a mercenary in the city… someone who wants to see the King… ' the man winced as Albel dropped the poor servant and strode off down the hallways towards the throne room. Albel turned the corner and forcibly thrust the throne room doors open. He was angry… just slightly…

'Ah Albel, there you are, please join us,' asked King Airyglyph XIII. 'Albel… you are looking rather fluster-' started one of the counsellors but Albel butted in. 'If there's a mercenary in Airyglyph… I want to kill him. If it's Shatterheart I-' Albel stopped at the King's hand being raised.

'Yes it is Shatterheart as far as we know but, Albel, we are going to use his abilities to our advantage. We could send him to destroy our enemy threat to the south and not worry about casualties from our side. '

'Yes sire but, heh, what if Shatterheart refuses?' asked Woltar, captain of the Storm Brigade. Albel glared at the old man.

'No, he won't… because Albel will bring him to us with an offer he cannot refuse…' answered the king. Albel let out a noise of pride. _Hmph…Child's play…_

* * *

Kara sat staring at the door from her dark corner behind a large display cabinet. She wondered if someone of authority would actually come through the door looking for her. Perhaps it may even be Albel the Wicked or Woltar… She didn't care as long as she could make the money collecting bounty for them or for others. It was always good to study as many warriors and fighting styles as possible. It would mean an easier kill for her if things went nasty.

Kara's eyes strayed to the bartender who had walked over to her with some bread and some mead. Kara thanked the man and offered him a few hundred fol. More money than the man had seen in a year. The man nodded graciously and walked off chirping gratitude to the mercenary clans.

Kara sighed… _Only because I gave you money… If I had given you the exact amount it would have been curses…_ she thought. The door slammed open behind the bar, just out of Kara's view. She could hear a man's voice.

'The King has requested that Shatterheart meet a representative for his country just outside the city at dusk tonight. Anyone who is not involved, including citizens are not allowed to interfere… Shatterheart? Can you hear me?' called the man. Kara rose to her feet and looked around at the man. It was a castle servant.

The man gasped and nodded. He turned and ran back out of the door. Kara's cloak gleamed slightly in the firelight. She nodded and left the building via the back door into the cold air. She had already packed the bread into a small sack that was attached to her belt and the mead had been poured into a medicine bottle that she would use for cleaning wounds… or torturing…

Kara walked up the cobbles of the street towards the gate to the city. There was no one around… The messenger had already been to the rest of the city. Kara turned at the sound of footsteps. There were three men heading her way. Two men dressed in heavy Black armour, one carrying a large emblem on a pole while the other had his long sword. _Black Brigade soldiers… and this… _

The man in the centre of the two Black Brigade warriors was much less armoured but had a full set of armour on one arm. He had long black hair with blond tips at the ends and two long bandage wrapped blond braids that he could probably sit on. He had shoulder pads made of something strong like adamantium or mythril. He wore a dark purple vest that clung to his skin and on his free arm he wore bandages and a fingerless gauntlet.

He had a neck guard with a chain attached also made of the same sort of material as the shoulders and arm armour. He wore a skirt type of attire on his bottom half that revealed a large coiled tattoo around his waist and more bandages that wrapped around his hips and upper legs. His boots came up to about half way up his thighs and were of the same colour as the skirt and shirt.

The boots were rimmed with more of that resistant metal. He rested his armoured arm on a katana hilt and Kara now noticed that his arm was clawed at the fingers. She had heard of this arm before as well as the brutal killing power of the katana. This was Albel the Wicked, captain of the Black Brigade in his reformed outfit.

A shiver went down Kara's spine. She had never expected him to be so cold looking. As he drew closer she saw his sharp facial features that made him look handsome. His handsome features became meaningless and in fact menacing when she saw his eyes.

A piercing and cold gaze that was as red as blood. It made Kara's body quiver. He grinned at her. It was a grin that a tiger would make to its prey or a spider to a fly. Perhaps it was a purposely unnerving trick that he did to intimidate potential enemies.

'Hmph… _You're _the 'great' Shatterheart? You are most definitely not what I was expecting. I expected a man…' He stopped to notice Kara's shift in body stance.

_How does he know? Most think I'm a man… _Her thoughts unnerved her further. Kara hadn't realised that she had looked away from Albel. When she returned her gaze to where it was before, Albel was nowhere to be seen… Kara froze rigidly.

'The great Shatterheart must be terrified of my presence… You're disappointing…' growled Albel. He had appeared behind her and was whispering into where her ear should be. He grabbed her hood and leapt away, tearing the cloak away from her body revealing her outfit and weapons. Her muffler remained intact and the back of the cloth ran down the back of her leather coat. Her face was now exposed. Her fire red hair fell to her lower back. Two braids the same length of her hair fell in front of one ear while the other was covered by straight hair.

She laid her hand on her strange sword as Albel returned to his old position, handing the cloak to one of the guards. 'How pitiful… The King has requested your help and you are immobilised by me in less than an instant? How can you help?' mocked Albel.

Kara glared at the formidable man. She hadn't sensed someone that strong for a long time. He laughed almost insanely. 'Oh how interesting… Another maggot that thinks that they can fight me...' he started with a cold hearted growl. Kara saw him slowly draw the sinister katana the Fangs of the Wicked… She'd heard of that blade.

He'd acquired it on his travels… He'd killed to prevent disaster and had killed to protect his land. A land he did not care about… He killed because he could… for a challenge. Ruthless.

Kara held out her blade and pointed it at Albel. 'You're mine… Albel…' she whispered.

Albel disappeared. Kara had merely blinked. She had never seen speed like that. 'You know, you're actually quite pretty when you're terrified…' came a whisper in her ear from behind. Kara's eyes widened as he wrapped his clawed arm around her waist, constricting her arms with his immense strength. She struggled against his grip but he just grabbed tighter.

'I think you'll find; you're mine… Maggot…' He growled. Kara felt something in her side. Like a sharp pain. She looked to see a strange vessel in her side being compressed by Albel's fingers. It contained a strangely purple coloured liquid. Almost immediately she felt woozy. She tried to fight the sleep but could not. Her blade slipped from her grasp and fell with a CLANG to the ground.

Kara slumped in Albel's powerful, vice like grip. He relaxed a little and pulled the syringe out of her side. He dropped it on the floor and crushed it beneath his foot. He ordered a guard over to carry Kara's blade. Albel lifted Shatterheart in his arms and looked at her, her pale face looked cold and innocent.

He didn't know her name and he tried not to care but for the record he cared about how cold she felt in the Airyglyphian snow. He lay her down quickly and grabbed her cloak. He returned to her and wrapped her in it and lifted her again. He clutched her close, attempting to keep her warm. He didn't want any problems from Woltar.

'Is that all sir?' asked one of the guards. 'Yes, let's go…' answered Albel distantly.

* * *

Albel laid his bagged prize on the ground of the throne room before the King and the rest of the council. 'Albel, you have done well!' called the King enthusiastically. Albel closed his eyes and laid his clawed arm on his katana hilt. 'Humph… It was too easy…' answered Albel.

'What do you mean Albel?' asked the King attentively. 'She was no challenge.' Albel answered in a cold whisper. The council began to mutter to each other in confusion at what he had just said. 'Did you say "she"?' asked Woltar. Albel stepped over to the wrapped girl and unwrapped her from her cloak, revealing the female mercenary beneath.

The council began to mutter amongst themselves again only this time the King was joining in. The girl began to move slowly. Her fist clenched and unclenched against the ground as if she was trying to pull herself along it, only she was unconscious. Albel watched her with amazement out of the side of his vision.

_She can move even with that dosage? She is no ordinary Elicoorian…_ Albel thought. The mercenary rolled over facing away from the council who had not noticed her miraculous movements. _Is she fighting the drug?_

Suddenly the council was hushed by the king rising to his feet. 'Albel, I have come to a decision, _you_ will take care of the mercenary, and she will be transferred to the Kirlsa training facility with you in a month. You have until that time to convince her to join us.'

The King's decision caused Woltar to rise to his feet. 'B-but my lord! Albel cannot! He would most definitely cause harm!' growled Woltar maliciously as he pointed at Albel. Albel did nothing but glare at the old man. The king looked around at the old man who suddenly remembered his place and sat back down brooding.

'If Albel does not manage to convince Shatterheart within the month, she will remain in the dungeons… but it will not come to that… I have faith in Albel… Go!' commanded the King almost kindly. Albel bowed and lifted the mercenary in his arms, wrapping her in the cloak.

'Albel!' called Woltar. Albel turned his head slightly while walking. 'Do not be rash. Boy…' Albel snorted at the old man's advice.

* * *

Kara opened her eyes slowly. Her eyes were met with a purple canopy of velvet. Kara began to sit up but almost had a heart attack when she saw Albel sat in a chair at a desk. He had not noticed and was facing away, scribbling away at some paper.

She moved the covers away from her body as she slowly began to turn to get up off the extremely large and comfortable bed. 'I believe that moving after such a short amount of time will not serve you well…' growled a voice… Albel turned his head grinning at her. 'I had noticed,' he laughed.

His piercing red eyes met her green equivalent. 'What is your name mercenary?' he asked coldly as he rose to his feet and started putting papers away. Kara looked around for a weapon and suddenly spotted her equipment by a large wardrobe. 'I'd kill you before you made it girl…' his voice made Kara's blood freeze. She glanced at him; he was walking over to her.

'Kara… M-my name's Kara Darragin…' she froze in her position and would not even look at him as he walked to sit on an extravagant window seat beside her bed. Kara looked down at herself. She was not in her normal clothes. Her body was clad in a loose shirt and loose trousers, both being purple cotton.

'You have rings around you're neck… are you from this world?' Albel asked. Kara turned her head, to look at him. Albel was leaning back with his head on his clawed hand. He almost looked bored. His ruby eyes glittered in the candle light like the precious gems themselves. Kara furrowed her brow in bewilderment.

'Not from this world? I was born here and lived here all my life… I am not a god!' she answered confusedly.

'How interesting… I have seen those rings around the necks of the people of another world… the Klausians…'

Kara's eyes widened in shock… Where had she heard that name before? She could not think… Her mother…

* * *


	3. The Lance

**Solstice**

**The Lance**

Kara gazed at Albel, shocked at the mere word 'Klausian'. It seemed so familiar, yet it was alien. 'Hmm… perhaps you are not from another world then… they seem faded…' Albel seemed to be considering something as he rubbed the clawed hand along his chin.

'I-I… I think my mother had them… but I don't remember my father, He'd died long before I was born… Am I not supposed to be here?' asked Kara almost terrified. Her heart began racing; Albel was revealing something that she had always wondered about but had never fully acknowledged.

She had never belonged anywhere and so she roamed like a hermit from city to city, country to country, continent to continent. She could remember little from her past… perhaps it was a self-defence mechanism that her mind had adapted to.

Albel sat up straight and stared at Kara. He appeared to be working something out but his eyes unnerved Kara, it was as if his gaze was a knife, a knife that sliced her, effortlessly and devastatingly. She had never lost to an opponent before… Her nerves had gotten the better of her and now she would pay the price… She would be petrified by him…

He rose to his feet and strode over to the desk. 'Sleep now… The poison I gave you was strong and will not be out of your system yet…' He whispered. Kara could not help it… she felt her whole body sink down into the bed as if under a trance. She fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

The sound of people bustling around in the streets below the castle walls was louder than normal. There seemed to be a large gathering of people for some reason. Kara stirred dramatically. She was sat bolt up-right, her hair sticking up all over the place and one eye was closed from her sudden awaking.

She looked around the room. Albel was not there. Kara rose to her feet and sorted herself out. She found her clothes neatly folded on another desk. She quickly put them on and began to walk to where her weapons had been the day before… they were gone. Kara's heart sank. She couldn't leave without the sword especially.

Kara walked over to the window in the castle wall. She could see the city of Airyglyph. It indeed was full of people… more than normal. Perhaps people had journeyed from Kirlsa and the neighbouring Airyglyphian owned cities. The crowd were surrounding a large barrier. Within the barrier that was circular, was a row of soldiers clad in black armour. _Black Brigade soldiers…_

Within the circle were two men about twelve paces away from each other. One was dressed in purple and the other was dressed in heavy dark armour. The first man was Albel. He drew his katana and changed stance. The man in heavy armour was holding a lance. He lowered it to point it at Albel. The lance was shorter than normal… perhaps to make this meeting fairer…

Kara couldn't help but feeling as though she should know the man in armour… The crowd had gone silent so suddenly that Kara hadn't noticed at first. She could hear the two men talking quite clearly.

'Albel… To think I once helped you…' said the man in heavy armour.

'Believe me Vox… That is a time I'd like to forget…' growled Albel in his stand offish tone. 'Why are you here? You were banished from Airyglyph… You maggot,' mocked Albel. 'Yes, well, we all know who made sure I was banished don't we? I want my position back…!' Vox yelled. 'You're out of luck… you're worthless dragon brigade was divided into the Storm and the Black Brigades. There is no Dragon brigade anymore…' Albel clenched his fist in anger.

Kara turned her back while the men argued and looked for her blade frantically. She was not going to let Vox… the ex-captain of the Dragon Brigade destroy her prey… She looked around the room. There was only a locked chest and a locked Cupboard. Kara steeped towards the Cupboard and then charged.

She performed a roundhouse kick and blasted her foot through the wooden door. Her foot met with something solid inside the cupboard. The item fell over. Kara pulled her foot out and wrenched open the door. There it was… the Shatterheart blade… She grabbed it and attached her belt of equipment to her waist.

She swung around and drew the blade. She looked out of the window. It would be much faster to go out the window… even if it was… fifteen floors. Kara pulled on the hook in the middle of the split blade. It came loose and a chain connected to it grew out of the blade.

Kara latched the hook onto the stones of the ledge. She climbed the wall slightly so that she could get up to the window… She looked down… This was the worst part… She held the blade upwards so that it pointed up. She took a deep breath… one that seemed to last forever… and dived into the air… towards the ground below…

* * *

Vox laughed at Albel. 'You stand little chance against me boy… I've improved and you were with your friends last time… Now that you're on your own… you will die…' Vox growled viciously. Vox lunged at Albel that dodged swiftly behind Vox but Vox was one step ahead and brought the back of the lance around behind him towards Albel. Albel barely caught the lance on his katana which felt like it was screaming underneath the power of the lance.

It was true Vox was more powerful than Albel, but Albel was faster; although, Vox was a lot faster than he'd ever been. Albel leapt backwards and began to zigzag forwards with his blade outstretched. His attack was blindingly fast. Albel was met by Vox's lance. A large sweep to his side caused Albel to be knocked off his feet. _Too fast damn it…_

Albel sprung back up as Vox's lance came down on him. Albel grabbed it with his clawed arm. The immense power from his swing caused Albel's arm to quiver in the strain of preventing the lance from hitting him. Albel shifted his body slightly and let go of the lance. The lance shot to the ground like an arrow and its point bored in.

Albel grabbed the lance and swung himself around it. His adamantine toe capped boots met with Vox's back, causing the aging man to be lunged forwards. Vox fell into a heap at the end of the circle, knocking over a few of the black brigade soldiers. It was to no avail.

The Black Brigade soldiers began to clamber over Vox to attempt to restrain him but it was futile. Vox was not visible until he got angry. Suddenly the Black Brigade soldiers went closer together as if in a rugby scrum. Suddenly they were flung away in all directions; most of them were thrown into the crowd that was now in a panic and running away. Albel was alarmed by the commotion… He could not fight a man like this on his own.

Vox leapt at Albel with the lance gleaming. Perhaps there was no hope for him now. Albel lifted his katana into a defensive stance. He closed his eyes to a slit to protect them from dust and shrapnel. But the attack never reached him.

Albel opened his eyes. Vox's lance was lodged in Kara's blade. She was stood in front of him… she had caught his blade… _It's not possible… she's weak!_ Or so he thought. Kara stepped to the side of the lance and turned her blade with it. She placed a hand over a gem on the hilt and suddenly the split blade became two separate swords. They were connected by a chain with a hook in the middle.

Albel blinked… He had heard of blades like that. He grinned and came to Kara's side. Three blades against a lance; they stood more of a chance. Vox lunged. Both Albel and Kara dodged him almost effortlessly. Kara swung the hook so that the chain extended and it ended up hooking onto the back of Vox's neck armour. She tugged as hard as she possibly could… Vox lost his footing giving Albel an opportunity to attack.

Albel leapt into the air smoothly and calmly. He brought the katana down on Vox. The blade met with Vox's chest plate. Nothing happened. Albel sheathed his katana and turned to face Kara.

'Leave Vox… you have no place here… Next time I will kill you. Maggot…' He growled as he walked away. Vox rose to his feet but his armour crumbled around him. Shattered pieces of steel fell to the ground like ashes. Vox grinned and nodded. He turned and walked away. He was leaving Airyglyph for good. He had other plans elsewhere…

* * *

Kara withdrew the chain and fitted the sword together again. She sheathed the strange blade and met Albel with a grin. Albel on the other hand was furious. Kara's face dropped. Albel grabbed her by the wrist with his clawed arm and pulled her with him. He dragged her the whole way to the Aqueducts and slung her inside. Kara slipped on some ice and slide across the ice away from Albel.

'You worm… I did not need you to help… Why!?' he bellowed. Kara tried to pick herself up but her wrist gave way to her. He stormed over to her and lifted her by her wrist again. She looked frail to him; Pitiful…Weak. How could she have helped him? His red eyes flared like flames. He looked at hers; green and watering.

He felt something ebbing at him; remorse? Guilt? He knew not. She cowered at his feet terrified. She had only wanted to stop Vox. After all, Vox felt close to her… in a way she could not explain. Albel closed his eyes and sighed. _You moron… you'd have died…_

He laid his human hand on her head. Her hair was soft and warm. He removed his hand at the thought of being weak and offered her his hand. She looked at it as if it would bite her face off. She reached out. Before she could pull away he grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.

He let go and turned away as she made her feet. He began to walk away carefully along the ice. Kara followed. As they exited the aqueducts Kara noticed how cold it was. Albel was used to the cold… he'd lived in the kingdom Airyglyph all his life probably. Albel turned to her after she had exited the aqueducts.

'How did you escape?' he asked being careful not to sound evil. She looked confused for a moment and then answered, 'I erm… dived out of the erm… window…' She half grinned. 'How did you get your weapons? They were locked up…'

'I erm… don't kill me but I kicked a hole in the cupboard door.' She almost squeaked. As Albel turned to face her, she covered her face in protection and fear. He laughed. 'Not bad for a worm… Do it again and you will suffer…' He growled.

Kara uncovered her face and weakly smiled. At least she wasn't dead… yet.

* * *

Over the days, Kara and Albel got to know each other better. Albel told her of the times he was on other worlds such as Vanguard and Styx and the battles he fought. This captivated and fascinated Kara who had always wondered like a child what it was like up there… in space.

Kara would tell of the assassinations and jobs she had done as a mercenary. She would speak of her mother who was also a mercenary. Albel pretended to not be interested but he couldn't help it. He admired her secretly and he even vowed not to let her get hurt on his watch.

On the night before the month was up, Kara requested to speak to the King of Airyglyph. Albel asked why but she would not reply. Albel had no choice but to arrange the meeting…

'Kara… what is it you wish to speak to me about?' asked the king suspiciously. Kara smiled kindly. 'I wish to join the Black Brigade. I'm tired of roaming the continents. I wish to find a home,' she answered.

The king looked surprised. 'The Black Brigade? Albel? ' The king looked at Albel who was stood a little way behind the king and looked just as shocked. When the attention turned to him, the shock disappeared. 'Y-yes my lord?' asked the Albel shaking his head as he spoke.

'Do you have a vacancy for this woman? I would think that her joining us would be the best way to keep her under our supervision… no?' asked the king almost commanding. 'Yes there is a vacancy for vice-captain. I believe that if I place her under my direct authority, I can train her to be a better warrior…'

'Well Kara? Do you accept this position?' asked the King.

'Yes, my lord,' She bowed. Albel walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

'Welcome to my world second in command…' Albel whispered. Kara grinned. Albel knew something about her lineage… perhaps if she was to serve directly under him, she may find out more from him…


End file.
